Book Chat

Do you have a child that asks for candy every day? One who groans at vegetables and fruits but always has room for sweets? If this sounds familiar, then you must read Sweet Tooth. In this book, Stewart's Sweet Tooth is out of control. He has an attitude, and he will not stop until he gets what he wants. And what he wants is candy, candy, candy! Stewart finally gets fed up with his demanding Sweet Tooth and decides to put his Sweet Tooth out of business. But it's not easy, and his Sweet Tooth has plenty to say about it. I promise you this book will have you and your kids laughing (make sure to get your grouchiest, meanest voice ready to read the Sweet Tooth's part) and is a nice way to open up discussion about healthy eating.

Chewing gum has been around for centuries, but did you know that inventing gum that allowed people to blow bubbles took some serious lab time? Budding scientists and kids who love blowing bubbles with gum will enjoy this straightforward narrative about Walter Diemer, who wouldn't give up until he developed the perfect recipe for bubble gum. This historical picture book is geared for younger elementary readers.

The CandymakersAuthor: Wendy MassPublisher: Little, Brown, 2011

Anyone who has enjoyed the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, whether by book or movie, will be interested in reading this chapter book. Four kids from Spring Haven are competing in a national candymaking competition. The winner will become an assistant candymaker at the Life is Sweet candymaking factory. The four kids have four different motives for entering the competition. And the four kids tell the story from their own perspectives. As the narrative unwinds with each of their stories, the reader gets more pieces of the puzzle. Finally, the four kids collide in an effort to steal (or save?) the secret ingredient and must decide how they are going to handle this sticky situation. How will this candy competition end? Which of the four kids will win? Grab a giant box of chocolates and read to find out!

Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot: A True Story of the Berlin Airlift and the Candy That Dropped From the SkyAuthor: Margot Theis Raven Illustrator: Gijsbert van FrankenbuyzenPublisher: Sleeping Bear Press, 2011

This picture book zeroes in on one of the most famous stories of the Candy Bomber. Mercedes is a young girl living in West Berlin after World War II. She hears about the famous Candy Bomber and his wiggling wings in the newspaper. She goes to the field where he often drops his white parachutes attached to candy, but when the candy falls, the older kids beat her to it. Determined, Mercedes decides to write the Candy Bomber a letter asking him to drop candy at her house. She tells him to look for her white chickens. Lt. Gail Halvorsen (aka the Candy Bomber) is touched by her letter and sends her a package of candy in the mail. This book is perfect for young readers as an introduction to the inspiring story of the Candy Bomber.

After World War II when Germany was in ruins, Lieutenant Gail Halvorsen, brought light and joy to thousands of children and families by dropping candy, gum, and chocolate with little white parachutes down to children from his plane. Halvorsen started by using his rations to buy candy, but once word spread of Uncle Wiggly Wings (a nickname given because wiggling his plane wings was his sign to kids), the candy-drop phenomenon spread. Hundreds of kids gathered for the drops, and people from all over the world began donating candy for the airlifts. In this book suitable for third through seventh graders, Michael O. Tunnell tells the story of this memorable and uplifting historical event. This book includes photographs from Halvorsen's own collection and a letter from the lieutenant in the Prologue.

Expert Chat

Listen in as Emily chats with the author of Candy Bomber: The Story of the Berlin Airlift's ChocolatePilot, Michael O. Tunnell. He shares some of his favorite stories about Lt. Gail Halvorsen (Candy Bomber), as well as sharing the most important life lesson we can all take away from Lt. Halvorsen's inspiring operation.